Barbie Chang
by Victoria Chang
Copper Canyon Press, 2017, $16
ISBN: 978-1-55659-516-5
Reviewed by Valorie K. Ruiz
Barbie Chang, the newest publication from award-winning writer Victoria Chang, is an intelligent and absolutely moving collection that uses our connotations of “Barbie” to create a narrative that is surprising, revealing, and ultimately extremely relevant. This book is divided into four sections with each section giving us a new perspective on the life of the persona “Barbie Chang”. The one unchanging element through each section is the innovative use of language both in sound, form, and playful rhythm. By the end of the collection (which I would like to argue can also be considered a memoir in verse) we have grown to understand the many layers of Barbie Chang, through her history, her interactions with loved ones, and the way she moves through the world.
